Ganzekraal is a farm dating back to the early 1700s. It was a key farm in the Groene Kloof (as the area north of Rietvlei and all the way to Geelbek on the Langebaan Lagoon was referred to in the time of the VOC) and is significant as part of the network of farms and buiteposte that stretched the VOC influence all the way from the Castle to Saldanha Bay.
Ganzekraal was one of the earliest freehold farms at the Cape, the title thereto having been given to Jacob van Reenen by a grateful government in recognition of his long and arduous trek to find the wreck of the Grosvenor (wrecked in 1782 on the North Transkei Wild Coast). The slave bell tower still stands today and this housed the bell from the Grosvenor, that Jacob had brought back from his expedition to find the wreck in 1790.
Old photo of Granzekraal
Jacobs Bay which lies West of Ganzekraal was named after Jacob Van Reenen and was used by him to load his grain and produce onto ships that would lie at anchor in the sheltered bay. Today it is the holiday resort of Ganzekraal offering chalets, camping and a conference center.
Many West Coast family names are associated with Ganzekraal, amongst them the Melcks, Duckitts, Cloetes, Van Der...
